Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Before you butcher your chicken, you will need to put on a rubber apron, gloves, and protect-
ive eyewear. This will keep you clean and safe from cuts and scratches. Next, you will need
your equipment. Some people kill chickens with their hands; others prefer to use a sharp knife
or ax. Always make sure the blade is sharp. The table you use will be on the receiving end of
the blade, so it should have a chopping-block top or be made of wood. Use a tree stump if you
are outdoors.
A piece of cone-shaped metal or plastic, known as a killing cone, can be purchased from
sporting goods stores or online. The cone slides over the chicken's head and is inverted either
to kill the chicken or let the blood drain from a dead chicken. If you do not have a cone, you
can hang the carcass upside down from a nail or hook for the same effect. Hang them at least
3 feet off the ground over a bucket to collect the blood. You will need a trash receptacle for
the waste.
Butchering is best done before daylight. The chickens will be sleeping in their hen house, and
it will be easier to pick them up and bring them to the slaughter area. The dark helps keep the
birds stay calm, and the quietness of the morning hours will keep them from being excess-
ively stressed. Birds that are less stressed will taste better because they have fewer hormones
running through their body. Also, they bleed cleaner, which makes the butchering less messy.
Do not feed the birds the night before, and provide little if any water. The birds will be easier
to clean if their digestive tracts are empty. Also, keep their coop dark. When entering the coop
in the morning, be quiet and calm as you collect your birds. Ideally, you want to have the
slaughter part finished before sunrise so the bird can drain and be butchered for dinnertime.
Methods of Killing your Chickens
When it is time to kill a chicken, it is important to keep the process as humane and stress free
for the bird as possible. Also, be sure to make the process as sanitary as possible, as you and
your family will be eating the chicken's meat. If you have the opportunity, watch a friend or
butcher kill and process a chicken before you attempt it on your own. If you do not have this
option, the following steps will ensure a quick and painless end to the bird's life.
Without a knife or ax
One way to kill a chicken is to wring its neck. Pick up the chicken and hold it upside down
with one hand. Slide your free hand down the chicken's neck to just below the bird's head and
